MoPAL

The Missouri Pathway for Aspiring Leaders in Special Education (MoPAL) is a three-year, DESE sponsored program for individuals who currently hold a Missouri administrator certificate and would like to develop their expertise in Special Education Administration. Through this program, aspiring leaders receive content through online professional learning modules, cohort learning experiences, and coaching. The goal of MoPAL is to increase the number of qualified Special Education Directors in Missouri, inspiring them to be innovative leaders who use research-based approaches in supporting students with disabilities.

Benefits of Participation

  • Missouri Director of Special Education Certification
  • No cost, evidence-based, online professional learning
  • Cohort face-to-face meetings twice a year
  • Coaching/mentoring
  • Networking
  • Professional development aligned with Missouri Leader Standards and the Council of Exceptional Children (CEC) Standards

Qualifications to Participate

  • Current Missouri Administrator certification
  • Employed in a Missouri school district
  • Completed application (due April 15th for following fall)

Certification Requirements

  • Satisfactory completion of all modules, assignments, and post-assessments
  • Participation in individual meetings with MoPAL consultant (in-person or virtually) at least once per semester, including one on-site visit per year
  • Attendance at least 70% of monthly virtual cohort meetings
  • Attendance at least 80% of cohort in-person meetings (held in January and July)
  • Completion of an annual C-SAPP survey
  • Satisfactory completion of MoPAL capstone project
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Logo

Who to Contact

For more information contact Kindra Delp
MoPAL Project Director

Kindra.Delp@dese.mo.gov
(573) 751-4427

VLP

To enroll, visit the Missouri Virtual Learning Platform, click here